Friday, December 12, 2014

With each cold front comes the possibility that a winter owl species will appear around Brooklyn and the rest of New York City. At grassland habitats, such as Floyd Bennett Field or any of the city's capped landfills, look for Short-eared Owls. Like other "eared" owl species (i.e., Great Horned Owl or Long-eared Owl), the ears are merely tufts of feathers. Feeding primarily on small mammals, this widespread owl can be found on every continent except Australia and Antarctica. Short-eared Owls have a distinctive, erratic flight frequently described as "moth-like". They are currently listed as "endangered" in New York State possibly due to a loss of grasslands and other open habitats.